THE Memorial Action Team (MAT) has reached a landmark 10,000 signatures on its petition against controversial plans to move Crewe's war memorial.

Campaigners are claiming they have proved once again that there is an overwhelming level of public feeling against the proposal.

They are accusing Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council of ignoring the opinion of the electorate.

MAT spokesman Frank Jones said: 'We believe that 10,000 people cannot be wrong. We have people of all ages approaching us to sign and we are confident we will keep getting more and more.

'Some of the accusations thrown at us about bullying people into signing are so far wide of the mark it is ridiculous.

'As anyone can see, we simply stand and let people come to us with their grievances.'

The council board announced in the summer it wanted to move the memorial from Market Square to the Municipal Square as part of a £3 million revamp of Crewe town centre.

The plans met with an immediate backlash. MAT was set up to lead the protests and, in spite of its failure to secure a change of heart from the board so far, members are confident they are slowly but surely applying more pressure than the executive can stand.

Crunch talks will take place at a full council meeting today (Wednesday) when two motions will press for more consideration of public opinion before the council goes ahead with the move.

Conservative group leader Cllr Brian Silvester is asking for a cut-out response slip to be included in the council's News and Views paper so everyone in the borough can reply with their views.

Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Gwyn Griffiths is in the meantime tabling a motion calling for a full council debate to resolve the issue once and for all.

MAT spokesman Mr Jones said: 'In principle, the idea of a consultation through News and Views is very welcome, but we are a bit concerned the distribution is not right.

'The council claim every home in the borough receives a copy, but so far out of about 300 people we have asked only 40 or so have said they ever see it.

'If the council can't get it right we will gladly do the distribution ourselves.

'As for the motion calling for a full council debate, we feel it is about time.

'We will present the petition to councillors before the meeting so they now how much the people of Crewe want their views considered.

'If the motion is passed, we feel it is an admission from the board that they got the initial consultation very wrong.'

MAT campaign manager Derek Bebbington is confident of success after a motion for a referendum to resolve the issue was defeated at December's full council meeting.

He said: 'Personally, I want to keep pushing for a referendum because that is what people are signing the petition for.

'Ten thousand signatures is about 20% of the population - we are not letting those people down.

'I reckon we could get double the number of signatures the way things are going, people are so angry.

'We will fight on every front we can until we get the result we want.'